Following are resources for those wanting to report back from Annual Conference or to review and learn more about the 2024 annual meeting of the Church of the Brethren, which took place in Grand Rapids, Mich., on July 3-7. These resources are useful for delegates and others wishing to report to their congregations and districts about the Conference and to share about the experience, including business reporting and worship resources.
Online news index page
Full coverage of Annual Conference 2024 is online at www.brethren.org/news/coverage/ac2024. This news index page includes links to news stories and other articles, online photo albums, recordings of the Conference worship services, and more.
Find the photo albums from the Conference at https://churchofthebrethren.smugmug.com/AC2024.
Video Wrap Up and Sermons DVDs
The 2024 Annual Conference Wrap Up video is available to order for $29.95 in two formats, on DVD and as a digital download. The video is about 20 minutes long and provides highlights from the week in Grand Rapids.
Also available are the 2024 Annual Conference Sermons in both DVD and digital download formats. This is a two DVD set of all the sermons from the five Conference worship services.
Purchase from Brethren Press at https://www.brethrenpress.com/category_s/174.htm or order by calling 800-441-3712. Customer service hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (central time).
Two-page print Wrap Up
A two-page print Wrap Up in pdf format is free to download and copy for use in congregations and districts: www.brethren.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/AC2024-WrapUp.pdf.
Playlists: Welcome and Worthy
Two Messenger playlists are available related to the 2024 Annual Conference, one introducing listeners to most of the songs and hymns used during the Conference, and another curated by moderator Madalyn Metzger of songs that relate to the theme “Welcome and Worthy” reflecting four emphases: Known and loved by God. Belonging to one another. Extending mutual care. Nurturing dignity and wholeness.
The playlists are available on Spotify and YouTube (you will need a free Spotify account to listen to the Spotify playlist). The Annual Conference 2024 website also has some sheet music and lyrics for some of the songs and hymns sung during the event. Go to www.brethren.org/ac and click the option that says “Songs and Hymns.”
Find the two playlists at www.brethren.org/messenger/playlists/playlist-annual-conference-2024
and www.brethren.org/messenger/playlists/playlist-welcome-and-worthy.
‘The Table Song’ and worship liturgy
The song and liturgy that were used as the call to worship for the five Annual Conference worship services, in which a simple dining room table and four chairs became a central focus for the theme of “Welcome and Worthy,” is now online and available for download at www.brethren.org/ac2024/worship.
“The Table Song: Gathered in Your Love” was written by Seth Crissman and Greg Yoder, members of the worship music team for the 2024 Annual Conference.
Please include the following credit when printing the song or using the liturgy: “This song was written for the Church of the Brethren’s 237th Annual Conference by Seth Crissman and Greg Yoder of The Soil and The Seed Project. © The Soil and The Seed Project 2024”
By the numbers
Here are final numbers for the 2024 Annual Conference, including some updates since the last reporting in the July 7 Newsline:
— 1,450 people registered for the Conference including 410 delegates, 995 nondelegates attending in person, and 45 nondelegates attending online.
— 7 churches welcomed:
1 congregation:
Southern Ohio/Kentucky District: East Dayton (Ohio) Fellowship
1 fellowship:
Atlantic Southeast District: Jesus Lounge Ministry in Delray Beach, Fla.
5 projects:
Atlantic Northeast District: Arbor Park Church of the Brethren, Lancaster, Pa.
Pacific Southwest District: Iglesia del Salvador Viviente, McFarland, Calif.
Virlina District: Monte De Dios, Eden, N.C., Monte de Hermon, Bassett, Va., The Way, Roanoke, Va.
— Worship attendance:
1,272 attended the Wednesday evening worship service on July 3, including 1,023 attending in person and 249 attending online (191 via the live stream in English, 38 via Facebook, 20 via YouTube). Views of the recording of the worship service exceeded 650 as of the close of the Conference.
1,202 attended the Thursday evening worship service on July 4, including 920 attending in person and 282 attending online (218 via the live stream in English, 33 via Facebook, 31 via YouTube). Views of the recording of the worship service exceeded 630 as of the close of the Conference.
1,224 attended the Friday evening worship service on July 5, including 935 attending in person and 289 attending online (223 via the live stream in English, perhaps 1 via the live stream in Spanish, 36 via Facebook, 29 via YouTube). Views of the recording of the worship service exceeded 590 as of the close of the Conference.
1,196 attended the Saturday evening worship service on July 6, including 905 attending in person and 291 attending online (231 via the live stream in English, perhaps 1 via the live stream in Spanish, 25 via Facebook, 34 via YouTube). Views of the recording of the worship service exceeded 445 as of the close of the Conference.
600 people attended the Sunday morning worship service on July 7 in person. Online attendance TBA.
— 32 people on average attended the business sessions through Zoom, an option that was available only to paid registrants.
— 84 live viewers participated online in the Saturday evening concert by Friends with the Weather (75 peak live viewers, plus 5 via Facebook and 4 via YouTube).
— $47,065.36 total received in 5 worship offerings:
$8,134.35 received Wednesday for the Annual Conference operating budget, including $725 received online.
$15,255.24 received Thursday for the two Witness to Host City organizations, Kids’ Food Basket and Sleep in Heavenly Peace. Also, volunteers built 30 beds for children in need, participating in the Bed Build service project for Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
$10,123.50 received Friday for the Core Ministries of the Church of the Brethren, with a focus on Discipleship and Leadership Formation, including $1,460 received online.
$6,681.35 received Saturday for Annual Conference programing for children and youth, including $850 received online.
$6,870.92 received Sunday for the Church of the Brethren Core Ministries, with a focus on Global Mission, including $1,180 received online.
— $10,375 was raised by the Silent Auction for Annual Conference translation and interpretation expenses and general operating budget.
— $8,328 also was received in separate donations during the Conference, including $1,198 for Annual Conference operations and $7,130 for the Church of the Brethren’s Core Ministries.
— 121 units of blood were collected over the 2 days of the onsite Annual Conference Blood Drive carried out by Brethren Disaster Ministries and Versiti Blood Center of Michigan. The total includes July 4’s 72 units (40 whole blood plus 16 double reds) from 63 registered donors; and July 5’s 49 units (31 whole blood plus 9 double reds) from 49 registered donors.
“Lives saved in our community: 263!” said a note from Niki DuRocher of the Versiti staff, who added that “we exceeded the overall goal and had 73 NEW Versiti donors!” The note said that during this Annual Conference, two people became two-gallon milestone achievers, Emily Schroeder achieved the one-gallon milestone, and Thomas Brown achieved the nine-gallon milestone. “Thank you once again for bringing in these donors to help our local hospitals. What an impact you have made in our community!”
The Virtual Blood Drive count so far is: 12 whole blood units including 1 double red, plus 5 donations of platelets.
— $8,200 was raised for hunger relief through the Global Food Initiative by the Annual Conference Quilt Auction sponsored by the Association for the Arts in the Church of the Brethren. The AACB announced that this was their final Annual Conference quilt auction.
— 200 or so people participated in Saturday’s gun violence vigil in downtown Grand Rapids’ Rosa Parks Park, in an event sponsored by the church’s Gun Violence Prevention Action Team and On Earth Peace.
Many thanks to the members of the Press Team for Annual Conference 2024: Jan Fischer Bachman, Chris Brumbaugh-Cayford, Russ Otto, Donna Parcell, Frank Ramirez, Virginia Rendler, Glenn Riegel, Laura Sellers, Frances Townsend, and editor Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services for the Church of the Brethren.
#cobac2024